LION KING: Simba's Pride - The New Version
by TheTombedSpirit
Summary: Probably everyone who will watch the Lion Guard will be like; 'where was Kion in the second movie' so I decided to make a whole new Lion King two, that has Kion and his Lion Guard in it. I hope you enjoy!
1. Prolouge

**The Lion King 2; The New Version!  
**

 **Summary;** Anyone and everyone who will watch Lion Guard is gonna be like 'where was Kion in the second movie?!' Well, this story will show the whole second movie, but with Kion and his Lion Guard in there as well! Have fun!

* * *

 **Prologue.  
**

Everyone in the Pride lands gathered around Pride Rock to see the two new cubs of King Simba and Queen Nala. On the peak of Pride Rock was the wisest animal in the Pride Lands, Rafiki the mandrill, who was taking in the winds of the Kings of the Past, before turning to see the King and Queen with their cubs. Simba holding their son, Kion, while Nala held their daughter, Kiara.

Kiara had her mother peach colored pelt with a light beige underbelly and her father's ruby red eyes. She was the oldest of the two twins, and was to be the next Queen of the Pride lands. Kion had his father's golden fur coat with little light brown spots lining up on the ankles and light brown eyes with a tuff of his father's red mane on his head. He was the youngest out of the twins.

Rafiki took hold of both cubs and held them out for all to see. Everyone cheered, and trumpeted, and honked and stomped the celebration at the sight of the new princess and prince. Rafiki held them their for a little while longer, before turning away from the crowd and placed the Mark of Royalty on their foreheads.

They both looked at their surroundings curiously, before smiling goofy, gummy smiles when their parents nuzzled them lovingly. As the family had their moment, Timon the Meerkat and Pumbaa the Warthog watched the happy family with goofy smiles of their own.

Timon sighed, "Pumbaa, look at the little guys. Chips off the old block! And you gotta know who's gonna raise 'em!" he asked his friend excitingly, who had a confusing look on his face.

"Their parents?"

Timon looked a bit annoyed, "Okay, sure. Yeah technical. But who's gonna teach them the really important stuff? Like how to belch?" he demonstrated letting one loose one of his own, "And dig for grubs?" the Meerkat jumped from Pumbaa's and continued.

"I tell ya, buddy! It's gonna be like old times! Except with two cubs instead of one! You, me, and the little guys!" he said cheerfully, before Rafiki chuckled.

"One of them is a girl."

"Guy and girl." Timon corrected, before they both froze.

 ** _"GIRL?!"_**

And then they fainted as the two new parents laughed.

* * *

 **There's the prologue! Hope you liked it! I'll see you soon!**


	2. Off Into the Outlands!

**The Lion King 2; The New Version!  
**

 **Chapter Two; Off Into the Outlands?!  
**

* * *

 **Pride Lands.**

After a good nights rest, Kiara and Kion ran out of the cave and onto the peak of Pride Rock, and smiled happily at the beautiful day the sun had brought them.

 _"Wow!"_ they both cried at the same time. They smiled at each other, and made their way down the steps, before Kiara was suddenly plucked up from the ground by their father Simba, making Kion stop in his tracks.

"Where do you think your going in such a hurry?" Simba asked playfully, picking Kiara with his paw gently when she tried to escape over to her brother.

 _"Daddy!_ Let go!" Kiara giggled after Simba placed her back on her paws.

Simba smiled, but still looked a bit stern. "Now, I just want you to be careful." Kiara and Kion didn't pay that much attention, to busy trying to catch a pretty butterfly, before Kion fell on his belly when Simba pressed his paw on his tail gently.

"Kids, are you listening? Accidents can happen." Kion listened this time, while Kiara just looked bored. While Kion understood his fathers rules when heading outside of Pride Rock, Kiara just had one thing in mind when it came to the outside world; Have a Good Time.

"You could easily get hurt-" "'Hurt, or stepped on, or even get lost'." Kiara copied, having heard this speech before. Simba sighed, but continued anyways.

"And remember. I want you to stay _inside_ of Pride Rock at all times." "'At all times', I know." she finished with him at the end, while Kion just nodded. "'And if you see any strangers, don't talk to them. Come straight home.' Okay, okay! Can we go now? _PLEASE?"_ Kiara smiled innocently as Kion nodded with her, giving their signature smiles that they inherited from their parents.

Simba hummed, "Very funny, you two." Nala made herself known when she sat down next to her mate and chuckled.

"Mind your father, kids." she told them and they smiled knowingly.

"Yes, mom." they chorused together. Then their father said one last thing;

"And stay away from the Outlands." just then, Zazu the Hornbill, the kingdom's majordomo, flew over Simba's head and seated himself beside the cubs.

"Nothing there but a bunch of backstabbing, murderous, Outsiders." Zazu gritted his beak and sneered, as if these 'Outsiders' were right by their side.

"Zazu's right." Simba agreed, looking at the Outlands in disgust for a moment, before turning back to them. "You can't turn your back on them." he told them. Kion nodded again, knowing not to talk back, but Kiara looked confused.

"Really? How come?" she asked innocently, but Simba just shook his head. They weren't ready to hear about their great-uncle Scar.

"Never mind. Just run along now." he told them, but they both still wanted to know. But he wouldn't give it to them, "You'll understand someday." they smiled, nuzzled them and then ran off.

"And stay on the path I marked for you!" Simba called out after them. Nala chuckled, finding this rather funny.

"Simba. Who do those two remind you of, hmm?" Simba looked confused for second, before asking what she meant.

"They were just like us, when we were cubs." she told him, nuzzling him, but he didn't return it.

 _"Exactly!_ Don't you relies the dangers we put us in?" he asked, looking in the cubs direction, before being pinned easily by a playfully insulted Nala.

"You mean the dangers _you_ put us in." she told him, and he chuckled, realizing his mistake as she nuzzled him and he nuzzled back. They pulled away, still smiling.

"They'll be fine." with that, she walked away, making her way to the cave as Simba stared after her, not that comforted by her words.

"Timon, Pumbaa! Come here!" he called over to his brothers in everything but blood, who were playing with their adopted nephew, Bunga the Honey Badger. He had bluish-grey fur with white spikes, black eyes and bucked teeth. He is Kion's best friend and was pretty fearless, taking his uncle's motto, 'Hakuna Matata', seriously. Kiara always says that he is 'brave bordering on stupid' but he never took it to heart.

"Good morning, _mon' capitain!"_ Timon greeted as they all made their way over to them.

"I want you to keep a close watch on the cubs. You know they're bond to run off." he told him, but Timon didn't look that worried.

"Don't worry Simba. We'll be on them like stink on a Warthog!" when Pumbaa protested at the comment, Timon told him to live with it, before Simba interrupted them.

"Guys! I'm counting on you! Danger could be lurking behind every rock." and then the King left, leaving the three alone, before they went away to do what they were told to do.

* * *

 **Meanwhile.**

Kiara and Kion were still chasing the same butterfly, trying their best to catch it. Before it landed on a rock. Kiara smiled and knelt close to the ground, Kion following close behind.

"The mighty hunters have cornered their prey." Kiara whispered excitedly as Kion smiled with her, both growling playfully before pouncing, but only succeeded in hitting their heads together. They rubbed their heads with their paws, before Kiara nudged Kion to look at what she was seeing.

Just beyond the ridge, was a barren sandy wasteland.

Kion looked cautious, but Kiara just smiled in awe.

"Cool! The Outlands."

"This is bad." Kion looked back at where they came from Pride Rock, only to see the peak of their home, "We've gone too far! We should probably head back!" Kion stepped away from the rock and back on the path, but then noticed that his sister wasn't following. "Kiara! Come on!" he called to her, but she didn't seem to hear him.

"I wonder what's out there?" Kion groaned, mumbling something about girls and questioning if he really was the youngest, before noticing something in the grass, heading straight towards Kiara.

"Kiara! Look out!"

Kiara turned around, and screamed in shock along with Timon, Pumbaa and Bunga, who miraculously appeared beside Kion, before Kiara back herself up on the edge of the rock and fell into a pound.

"Kiara!"

"Oh! Don't worry Kiara! Uncle Pumbaa's coming!" with that, the Warthog cannon balled into the pound, unknowingly ending up sitting on her. Timon panicked before he pretended to be talking with Simba.

"'Gee, Simba! Good news is; we found your cubs. Bad news is; we dropped a Warthog on one of them. Is there a problem with that?" Kion imagined if he actually told his father that, then he would be anything but alright with that. Bunga laughed though when he heard the 'dropped a Warthog on her' part.

"Kiara? Kiara?!"

 **"Pumbaa!** Let me define; _**baby sitting!"**_

With wide eyes, Pumbaa jumped off the eldest cub, who coughed and spluttered everywhere, before glaring at the African pig, who grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry." they got up and made for the surface. "Now, Prince Kion and Princess Kiara. As Simba's cubs, you know better then to wander off on your own. You could've been hurt!" the two stuttered. Have they been following them the whole time?

"Hurt! Oh, Simba would kill us! You didn't slip a disk, did ya!?" he asked, but they didn't have time to respond as Timon practically climbed all over them. "Catch a fever? Get a hang nail?" he check Kiara's paws, but she just pulled it away, annoyed.

"Timon!"

"I had one once." "Very painful." "Excruciating!" Timon gave her some shade with a large leaf, while Kion and Bunga watched. Kion in astonishment and Bunga in amusement.

"Darling, with your complexion, you should stay out of the sun!" this only succeeded in making Kiara madder. She batted the plant away with her paw.

"What?! Do you want a wrinkle?"

"Would _somebody_ please just listen you me?!" Kiara cried out to everyone present.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. Did you say something, Princess?" he asked, but Kiara sighed.

"We're not just royalty, you know. That's only half of who we are!" Kiara told them, Kion looked at her with a tilted head.

"Oh! Uh, who are the other halves?" Pumbaa asked, but neither cubs couldn't answer. They didn't know who the other half was. Kiara was to be the next Queen, while Kion wasn't sure what either halves to him were. They just didn't know.

"Well while your figuring it out... Let's eat!" Timon, Pumbaa and Bunga moved over to wear a log was and the Meerkat snapped his fingers and Pumbaa lifted the log up with his snout, revealing a whole horde of bugs. As Bunga sloppily ate the bugs, Timon brought out a leaf that was crawling with bugs.

"Grubs!"

Pumbaa moved the log away, "The other white meat!" "And so high in protean!" he presented the grubs to the cubs, who only backed away in disgust.

"No? How about you fellas?" he held the bugs out for the Honey Badger and the Warthog, the latter taken in a long sniff, while Bunga jumped up and down, grabbing as much as he can.

"I love grubs!" "Not like..." _"Love!"_

He grabbed one, only to spit back out onto the leaf.

"Oh! You always do that! You take a bite out of every one and then put it back! It drives me crazy!" Timon whined as Pumbaa looked guilty, but decided to explain himself.

"But you can't tell from the outside which are the real slimy ones." he told him, but Timon only looked at him in disgust.

"Slimy?! Pumbaa, my corpulent _compadr'e!_ It's the _crunchy_ ones that make the meal!" the Meerkat said as Kiara rolled her eyes and Kion just sat there, looking rather uncomfortable at the happening fight that was going on.

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

As the two friend bantered on and on, Bunga turned to the cubs.

"So guys, wanna play Baobab Ball?! I got the fruit, right here!" he held out a large piece of fruit.

"Sure, buddy!"

"Maybe later, Bunga." the boys looked at Kiara, who was looking at the Outlands with wonder and excitement. Kion understood what she meant.

"No, Kiara! We can't! Dad told us not to, and you know the rules!"

"Dad's never been outside of Pride Rock. He probably just tells us those stories to keep us in check. Besides, who knows whats out there!"

"Exactly! We don't know whats out there. Therefor we shouldn't go there!"

"Oh, come on, Kion!" Bunga interrupted, looking excited at the thought of going into the Outlands, "This could be fun! You know how your dad never trusts you to take care of yourself. This your chance to show him that you can be just like him!" the Badger told his best friend, who seemed to be thinking about the whole thing, the looks he was receiving from the both of them making him loose this little war.

"Fine!" the two cheered, "But we come back after... an hour! Deal?!" "Deal!" the two cubs nodded, before noticing that Timon and Pumbaa were still fighting and took this as a chance to escape.

Moving quietly until they were an earshot away, the three friends ran off and made for the Outlands.

* * *

 **Remember to review and let me know what you think!  
**


	3. Kion Meets Jasiri and Madoa - Rewrite!

**The Lion King 2; The New Version!  
**

 **Chapter Three; Kion meets Jasiri and Madoa.**

* * *

 **The Outlands.  
**

The cubs and Badger kept on walking until they reached the border of the Outlands, that was divided by a log.

"Maybe this isn't a good idea..." "We're not turning back now, little brother!" and with that, Kiara jumped on the log and went across, Bunga following close behind. After a few moments of hesitation, Kion sighed and crossed the log as well.

They walked through the barren land for a few hours, before Kion heard something. He quickly turned to look what made the noise but saw nothing.

"Kion?" he turned to his best friend's voice to see Bunga approaching him. "What's wrong buddy? Aren't you coming?" "Yeah, I just thought I heard... um, where's Kiara?" the two looked around,but couldn't find the young Lioness anywhere.

"And, where are we?"

They were lost!

"Well, this is just great!" Kion finally snapped, "I knew this was a bad idea! _I_ was against this to begin with! But _no...!_ Kiara just _had_ to drag me into this!" he kept ranting on, until a frightened-looking Bunga tugged on the fur on his arm. "What is it, Bunga?" he asked, noticing his friends discomfort, who pointed at what had him so shaken.

A Hyena. A full-grown, female Hyena.

She had a pale grey fur with dark spots and stripes dotting down her back on the side of where her mane trailed down her back. She had light brown eyes, and, he was sure he was delirious, but he could have sworn that she had a rather _kind_ smile. The two tried their best to back up, but only succeeded in getting themselves cornered. The Hyena approached them, but they just shook harder.

"Hy-hy-hy-hy...!" "Hi to you too!" the Hyena replied cheerfully, which made Bunga squeak. Kion attempted to be brave and stand up for himself and his friend. "L-leave us alone, Hyena!" he told her, but she just giggled. "Calm down, young prince. I don't mean you or your friend any harm." the Hyena told him, making his ears perk up in surprise.

"You know me?" "Of course I do young one." "Madoa?" the Hyena and the boys looked behind her to see a young Hyena pup about Kion's age. She was female, and had grey fur with a purplish tint and darker spots then her companion. She had deep blue almost purple eyes, and a black mane with paler stripes in it. She also had several little specks dotting her face.

"It's alright, Jasiri. Big Sis's just talking to some newcomers." the elder Hyena turned back to the cub and Badger, who shrunk back, but she just smiled. "Now, what exactly is the prince of the Pride Lands doing all alone in the Outlands?" she asked him kindly. "I was just trying to follow my sister-" "Your sister? There's more?" she hummed, before looking to the sky to see a Bat Hawk gliding down towards them. The boys shrunk back, and the Hyena mother chuckled, while Jasiri giggled.

"Babies." "Now, Jasiri. Be nice." Madoa re-primed her pup, before turning back to the Falcon.

It was male, green eyes, dark blue wings with a light cream underbelly. "Mlinzi, have you seen any Lion cubs around?" "If you mean Lion cubs, by 'utterly insane for jumping on Crocodiles without so much as a scratch' then yes. I saw them by the Crocodile Lake. I see King Simba was on his way as well." the Hyena nodded, as Jasiri greeted the baby Hawk clinging to the elder Hawk's back. Madoa turned back to the cubs with a kind smile. "I think it's time we get you two home. Name's Madoa." Madoa gestured for them to follow her, and they did.

A few hours, they finally reached the border between the Pridelands and the Outlands. "This is as far as we go. I bid you a save journey home, young prince. And you to, young Honey Badger." they nodded and gave their thanks, before a loud roar sounded and Simba leaped in front of them, growling at Madoa as she got into a battle stance, ready to protect her sister if need be.

"What. Are. You. Doing. To. My. _**Son?!"**_ the Lion King snarled at the Hyena who tried her best to remain calm. "Calm yourself, sire. I was merely escorting your son back home, and I was just about to return to find your daughter and bring her back too, but I see that she's safe and sound." she commented when she notice a sullen looking Kiara in her mother's jaws. Simba growled, not willing to believe her. He glared at her for a long while, as she stared back calmly.

"Take your _abomination_ and go back to where you belong! Kion!" the cub flinched, and made his way over to him. He took Kiara back from Nala and waited for the Hyena to leave. With a sad sigh, she picked up her sister and walked away. Jasiri looked back at Kion, who looked back, before turning away sadly. She looked away as well. The Lions watched as the Hyena disappeared from sight.

Finally, the Lions made for home.

* * *

 **So a rewrite the small parts of the story: Replacing Aina with Madoa, turning Mlinzi into Mbele's father, and that's basically it. I'm rewriting the stories one by one.  
**

 **I hope you enjoyed it!**


	4. We Are One

**The Lion King 2; The New Version!  
**

 **Chapter Four; We Are One.**

* * *

 **The Pridelands.  
**

It had been a long walk, but they finally made it back to Pride Rock. Kion kept on walking with a forlorn look on his face, before his father stopped him with his paw.

"Simba?" Nala turned to her mate, who just cleared his throat, clearly saying that he need alone time with the cubs. She nodded in understanding and gestured for Bunga to come along. After looking at Kion for reassurance, he ran off when Kion nodded.

Simba place Kiara on a small rock and gestured for Kion to get on as well.

While Kion looked at his paws, shamelessly, Kiara tried to smile brightly, but faltered when Simba did nothing but glare at them.

"What were you two think you were doing? You could have been killed today!" he scold them lightly. They protested, but he interrupted.

"I'm telling you this because I love you. I don't want to loose either of you." he told them. "I know." they both sighed. Simba sighed as well.

"Something happened to either of you I don't know what I'd do. Look Kiara, one day I won't be here, and I need you to take my place. And Kion, your still a cub and your not ready for the world just yet. You are part of the great Circle of Life." "'Circle of Life' I know." Kiara recited, getting annoyed with all the talk about becoming queen.

"Exactly! And you need to be careful. As future queen-" "What if I don't want to be queen?! It's no fun!" she pulled away from him in protest as Kion felt out of place. He felt that Simba favored Kiara over him. He had showed her the most attention, and plays with her the most. He tried to convince himself that it was because that she was going to be the next queen, but now he wasn't sure.

"That's like saying you don't want to be a Lion. It's in your blood, as I am and Kion." Kion looked up at his father then when he said that. "We are a part of each other." he told her, she humphed, before Simba pushed her off the rock and made her land on Kion.

Simba raised an eyebrow, before smiling cheekily. Kiara and Kion smiled too, then rubbed themselves against him.

* * *

 **Song time!**

* * *

 _ **Simba** \- As you grow through life, you'll see, there is so much that we don't understand. _

_And the only thing we know, is things don't always go the way we planed._

 _But you'll see everyday that we'll never turn away, when you see all your dreams come undone._

 _We will stand by your side, filled with hope and filled with pride._

 _We are more then we are._

 _We Are One!_

 _ **Animals -** Family. Family. We are One._

 _Family. Family. We are One._

 ** _Kiara -_** _If there's so much I must be, can I still just be me?_

 _The way I am?_

 ** _Kion -_** _And can I trust in my own heart?_

 _Or am I just one part, of some big plan?_

 ** _Simba -_** _Even those who are gone are with us as we go on._

 _Your journey has only begun._

 _Tears of Pain. Tears of Joy._

 _One thing nothing can destroy!_

 _Is our pride, deep inside!_

 _We are One!_

 _ **Animals -** Family. Family. We are One._

 _Family. Family. We are One._

 ** _Simba -_** _We are One, you and I._

 _We are like the Earth and Sky._

 _One family under the sun._

 _All the wisdom to lead, all the courage that you need._

 _You will find when you see._

 _We are One._

* * *

Simba looked at Pride Rock with pride, but the cubs still looked unsure. Simba looked puzzled, before coming over to them.

"As long as you live here, it's who you are." he nuzzled and licked them.

"You'll understand someday." with that said, he walked away.

Just then a little blue bird flew by, catching the cubs attention, before flying off into the sunset, where the Outlands stood.

The two cub frowned, before smiling at the bird's chance of freedom.

As they sat together in silence, Kion's mind wandered back to that Hyena pup, Jasiri and wondered if he would ever see her again.

* * *

 **Now I'm just gonna set something clear. We all know what happens in Kiara and Kovu's end, right? So I'll just be showing scenes that happened at the same periods of time, but with Kion, the Lion Guard, or Jasiri.  
**

 **Until then, seeya!**


	5. Kiara's First Hunt

**REWRITE! LION KING! LION GUARD!  
**

 **THE LION KING: Simba's Pride - The New Version**

 **Chapter Five: Kiara's First Hunt.**

* * *

It's been several years since Kiara's and Kion's trip to the Outlands. Over the years, Kion has been elected as Leader and Fiercest of the Lion Guard. His friends, Bunga as the Bravest, Fuli the Cheetah as the Fastest, Beshte the Hippo as the Strongest, and Ono's the Egret as the Keenest of Sight. Together they protect the Pridelands home unsavory animals like Janja the Hyena or even Zira sometimes and making more allies along the way, like Jasiri the friendly Hyena and the Gorilla Princes, Majinuni and Hafifu.

That was a few years ago, and now the Lion Guard and Kiara are all grown up. Not much of the Guard has changed, but Kion grew into a mighty Lion fit for the title of 'Fierce'. Simba once admitted that he looked a lot like his late father Mufasa, albeit younger and still had the facial features that only Kion could possess. Kion took pride that he looked so much like his grandfather, who had been a Spiritual Guide for him throughout his journeys.

And now it was Kiara's first hunt.

Simba and Kion were waiting outside with the rest of the Pride, while Nala got Kiara ready for her hunt. Simba took a deep breathe, as Nala walked out of the cave and sat beside them.

Kiara then came out of the caves, stopping beside Rafiki, before smiling when she saw her family. "Kiara." Rafiki announced fondly, before gesturing for her to continue. As she walked down the path, Lioness threw many complements and good luck wishes. She had grown into quite a beautiful lioness. Some suitors from other prides even traveled far to see the beauty that is Princess Kiara. Though they headed home quickly when Simba gave them so much as a lingering look. When Kiara was near them, Nala approached her and nuzzled her.

"You'll do just fine." Kiara smiled, then gave Kion an affectionate headbutt. "Be careful, sis." She smiled up at him. Though younger, Kion was at least three inches taller then her. Then she looked to her father, who still looked uncertain about the whole thing.

"Daddy?" He looked up to her, "You have to promise to make me do this on my own. No Timon, Pumbaa and Bunga to follow me, no Ono secretly flying over me, nothing. Promise?" Simba looked to her, before looking up at Nala. She gave him a look and Kion nodded, so Simba sighed, smiling a bit.

"Alright. I promise." Kiara smiled in joy and nuzzled her father. Nala and Kion smiled at each other, and Timon and Pumbaa couldn't help but cry at the touching moment.

The father and daughter soon pulled away, smiling. But when Kiara rushed off, he frowned once more, before placing another accepting smile on his muzzle when she turned to him. He nodded and she hopped the rocks before rushing off towards the savanna. Nala smiled, as did Kion and went off with the rest of their day. Simba did as well, but not before shooting careful eyes towards his mate and son and whispered to Timon and Pumbaa 'Make sure she doesn't get hurt.' Timon and Pumbaa smirked, before making spy grunts and rushing off.

After Kiara took off, Kion decided to retire to the Lair of the Lion Guard. He let out a yawn as he climbed down the rocks. As he did, he ran into Tiifu and Zuri. He restricted a groan. Zuri was gonna try to flirt with him again, wasn't she?

"Hi Kion~."

Answer: Yep.

Ever since he and the Guard saved her from the Crocodiles, she has been on his side like a Dung Beetle to manure. He won't lie, Zuri had grown into quite the heartthrob of the pride as she grown, but her attitude left much to be desired. He tried to break this to her as gently as possible, but she was persistent and it was getting kinda annoying.

He gave a kind smile to Tiifu, one she return, sympathy in her eyes when Zuri brushed her tail under his chin, much to his trial. She has transformed into a beauty of a lioness as well. She was still probably the most caring lion in the Pride, as well as confident and polite. Kion lost count on how many times that Tiifu insists on calling him 'Prince Kion'.

"I trust you two are having a good day?" he decided to not let Zuri's flirting bother him today and start up conversation.

"Yes Prince Kion. Today is a lovely day. Not too dry and not too wet either, so the Hunt should be perfect for Kiara." Kion smiled and shook his head fondly. Number 98. Okay, so maybe he hasn't lost count.

"Tiifu, we've been over this. We're friends. You can call me by name." Tiifu blushed.

"I know, but it's become a habit." Zuri rolled her eyes, annoyed at being ignored and just looked at her claws and started to give them a polish on a nearby log. As she clawed them against the bark, she noticed Timon and Pumbaa going off to where Kiara went off. She shrugged, uninterested, and turned back to Kion, her eyes darkening with desire as she slipped her tail under his chin once more. "I'm awfully thirsty..." the brush of her tail caught his chin and pointed his head towards her flirty look. "Anyone want to join me to the waterhole? Maybe afterwards, we could-" before she could finish, Kion pulled back.

"As much as I'd love to join you ladies for a drink, I'm afraid I have some Guard matters to attend to. You know? Protecting the Circle of Life and all?" Zuri looked like she wanted to complain, but Tiifu jumped in.

"Off course. We understand. Have a good day Kion." she smiled sweetly, before making to head to the waterhole, calling over her shoulder to Zuri. Zuri grumbled, but slicked her tail against his chin once more for rushing off after her friend. Kion smiled at the direction they went off.

Tiifu and Zuri. You learn to love em.

As Kion continued towards the Lair, his thoughts wondered back to childhood memories. Mostly of him, his Guard, and his elder twin sister.

Kiara had really come a long way. Ever since their first visit to the Outlands, Kiara adopted quite the snobbish behavior, finally trying to take up the responsibilities of future queen. But as they progressed through so many different adventures since Kion and his Guard took up their role, she started becoming like her old self once more. She actually surprised him and even her own friends when she requested if they could play Baobab Ball with him and his friends.

He loved his elder sister, and he truly believed she deserved to be Queen. There was just the fact that Simba was still a little over protective and a bit bossy.

As he walks deeper into the caves, he could hear Bunga talking excitedly about something. He smiled and pushed through some more vines before the centerpiece of the Lair was open to him, as was his team. All grown up, just like him.

Bunga was as wild as ever, his fur unkempt and dusty in some area where dust should never go. His claws were an inch longer then they were in his youth, and he's also grown quite a bit, reaching just up to Kion's shoulder. He was still as brave, or as Kiara always says with a fond smile 'brave bordering on stupid'. And he continues to find the time to have some Hakuna Matata time. He was sitting in a little makeshift hammock, humming 'Zuku Zama' to himself, rather loudly, much to Fuli's annoyance.

Fuli had grown into a very pretty cheetah. She had finally grown in her muzzle stripes and a large stripe on her back from her head to her tail as well as two extra stripes beside it. She's also grown more spots on her fur and legs. Her pelt had gotten darker, and her hackles had extended to create quite the ruffling effects. She was currently grooming herself and trying to block out Bunga's humming.

Beshte was as big as ever, and just as strong. Aside from the small tuff of black fur on his head, he almost resembled his father. He was still as generous and gold-hearted as he was in his youth and much more stronger and protective, but still pretty forgetful and sensitive. But he was still as hard-working and down-to-earth-go-lucky hippo he always was in his youth. He even had a companion, who he hoped to one day make his mate, Lulu.

Ono had grown into a fine handsome egret. He had grown a lot taller, reaching Kion's chest. His neck got a little longer, as did his legs and wings, and he had a lot more plumage on his chest, as well as brighter markings on his wings and head feathers. He was a lot braver then they were in their younger days, but he was still a bit cowardly as well as optimistic and intelligent as always, though sarcasm never strays far from him when he was annoyed.

His was his team. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

Fuli noticed his entrance and greeted him with a smile, but it turned into a cringe when Bunga hummed even louder. She growls.

"Bunga! You don't knock that senseless humming, I'm coming over there and shutting you up myself!" Bunga chuckled and sung even louder if that was possible.

Kion smiled.

This was his team. His family.

* * *

 **Two Hours Later**

It has been a while since Kiara went off for her hunt, and after another hour, Kion was starting to get worried. Sure, she had some training, but not too much of it, as she had to come up with her own methods of hunting. So of course, she would be a while before she catched anything, but she should've at least caught a rabbit or something.

He looked over to his team, most of them were dozing off, or trying to with Bunga's loud snoring. He decided he was gonna take a walk. It was still day out. Funny. He felt like he had been in that cave for longer then two hours, but the sky was still blue with a tinge of pink in the clouds.

He sat on the ledges of Pride Rock, just watching the horizon. He felt a brush of air, taking some leaves with it, fly past him, given him a sense of peace.

"Kion?"

He opened his eyes and looked over to see Tiifu. He smiled, before returning his gaze back to the savanna. he saw Tiifu sit beside him in the corner of his eye, but didn't complain.

"Worried about Kiara?" she said softly. Kion let out a small amused cuff. "That obvious, huh?" Tiifu giggled as they stared at the sun and just talked about pointless stuff. Then at one point, it got to the Outlands and the Hyena Warriors.

"How are they doing, by the way?" Tiifu asked. Kion smiled at the thought of Jasiri and her team. At one point in his youth, he got sick of how animals like Janja, Reirei or even Zira got to run the Outlands in the cruelest manner that some other residents in the Outlands don't deserve. But after some advice from Rafiki, he set out to assemble new kind of guard, with Jasiri as the Fiercest, Ushujaa the African Wild Dog as the Bravest, Nguvu the Gorilla as the Strongest, Meli the Caracal as the Fastest and Mbele the Bat Hawk as the Keenest of Sight.

After fighting off a surprise attack from Zira on Jasiri's pack, word about them spread like wild fire across the Outlands and made residents feel more secure while trouble makers felt cautious.

So far, only Rafiki, Kiara, Nala, the Guard and Tiifu know about this. Kion was still unsure of how his father would take to a group of animals protecting the Outlands from it's own problems.

"Last time I visited them, they were doing great. Jasiri has found herself a companion, and according the Meli, it's pretty serious. Nguvu also has a mate, and Ushujaa and Meli are enjoying the Hyena Warriors. And by what Ushujaa says, Mbele and Ono have gotten to talking and are enjoying each other's company."

"Aww. That nice. From what you told me, they're all amazing characters and deserve as much." Kion smiled, thinking of their sister team.

"Yeah, they really do."

They stayed quiet after that, before Tiifu spotted something in the distance.

"K-Kion? Tell me that isn't smoke." she said as her voice shook. Hearing the word smoke, he looked up with terrified eyes as he spotted a cloud of ash bellowing across in the savanna. The same direction that...

"Kiara!" Kion cried, before taking off, leaving Tiifu looking after him, worried about what could happen to the princess and her best friend. As he rushed down the cliffs of Pride Rock, he roared into the Lair, signalling the Guard that danger was afoot. They rushed out of the Lair and pushed past the vines to follow Kion's lead.

"Ono! Fly ahead! Find Kiara!" the Egret nodded, "On it!" and flew higher to get a better view of the savanna. "Fuli! Find as many animals as you can and lead them out or away from the fire!"

"Got it!" the Cheetah replied before she vanished in a trail of dust. Kion then turned to only the Hippo and the Honey Badger, "Beshte! Bunga! We'll take care of the fire!" in all honesty, Kion wanted to go look for his sister. But he trusted Ono to help her when he found her, and someone had to get the fire under control while someone gets everyone else out of the fire and somewhere safe.

It was his duty as Leader of the Lion Guard.

* * *

 **Kiara**

Kiara coughed harshly as smoke burned her eyes and ash colored her throat.

She didn't think something like this would happen. She just wanted some time alone after she found out her father broke his promise and let Timon and Pumbaa follow her around during her hunt. her first hunt was supposed to be special, but he ruined it by sheltering her once more.

Then the fire started. She didn't know how, but somehow amongst the chaos, she got caught smack dab in the middle along with the zebra and antelope. She only hoped that Kion would hurry and get here in time.

Until then, she needed to find some high ground. Looking around desperately, she spotted a cliff. Perfect. Bounding over, dodging the stray flames, she took a leap of faith.

She dug her claws into the rock as it crumbled and threatened to drag her with them towards the flames, that had quickly spread and licked at her feet. Was this how Grandfather Mufasa felt before falling to his doom to wildebeest? She shook herself. She needed to focus. Using the last of her strength, she lifted her leg up, found a foothold and jumped up the ledge with a cry of desperation.

She took deep shuttering breathes as her legs shook as she struggled to stay standing. But unable to hold herself up, she let exhausting take over. She fell to her side with a thud, eyes closing, the burning willing them shut. Then she heard soft padsteps towards her and slowly raised her head and opened her eyes wearily.

A strong male lion. Who looked oddly familiar.

He growled lowly, but Kiara was too tired and her head fell back, the black overtaking her mind.

Her last hope was that the smoke was making her delirious and that it was Kion and he was asking if she was OK. And not a complete stranger. And defiantly not a hostile one.

* * *

 **Ono**

Ono's eyes were starting to hurt from all the fire. He could feel his eyes burning as he valiantly searched for the missing lion princess. He could spot Fuli leading some zebra and antelope away from the hungry flames and Kion, Beshte and Bunga struggling to put out the fire with either a hippo's mouthful of water, wet leaves and branches, or just containing it and preventing it from spreading past them. But other then that, no sign of...

Wait. Was that a lion?

Carrying a lioness on his back and running through the fire? Ono noticed that the lion was looking around, trying to find a way out, but couldn't see clearly. As he flew closer, his eyes sharpened, and realized with a shock that the unconscious lioness was Kiara! And the lion looked oddly familiar...

Ono shook his head, he shouldn't be worrying about that! He had to lead them out of here! He swooped down until he was in the lion's line of sight. The lion growled in warning when he spotted him in the sky, but the growls lightened when he got a better look of him. Ono guessed that the rouge was a nomad and had probably heard of the improved Lion Guard.

"Follow me! I'll lead you out of here!" the lion nodded in agreement and began to follow as the Keenest of Sight lead the way.

They turned corners and avoided obstacles and Ono gave a warning if an obstacle was about to make itself present and gave the lion enough time to dodge, all with the princess in one piece. Ono then noticed an opening to dry land. They were going to make it!

But in Ono's excitement, he failed to notice a weak tree about to crush the rouge and the princess...

Luckily the rouge noticed. He forced himself to stop, knowing he wouldn't make it if he continued, stepped back and let the tree block his path. He growled in annoyance as Ono noticed their new predicament. Then he looked aside and noticed another way. He flew in front of the rouge and notified him.

"If we jump off the cliff, we'll land in the lake below and we'll be free!" he told him, and the rouge's sharp green eyes narrowed, skeptical. "I know. But the way things are, what choice do we have! Trust me!" he echoed and he spiraled through the flames and waited for him to follow. A second passed. Then another, and for a second, he was worried that he wouldn't follow and look for another way, further endangering himself and the princess.

He was wrong.

Like a miracle, the rouge burst through the flames, the princess still on his back as they fell down the cliff and hit the opposing hill before crashing into the water separately. Ono was relieved, but then panicked once more. Kiara was unconscious!

"Hapana!" he cried as he dived and grabbed hold of the scarf of Kiara's neck. But Kiara was much larger then him and her waterlogged fur wasn't helping as they sunk into the water, Ono holding his breathe as they were submerged into was once their salvation. Ono felt guilt sink in as they sunk literally.

He failed.

But then he felt a jolt as they were suddenly pulled up and out of certain doom.

It was the Rouge! He had grabbed hold of Kiara's scarf himself and was now pulling them towards shore!

Oh, praise the Kings of the Past! They were gonna live!

* * *

 **Kiara**

Kiara coughed the water out of her system and looked around blearily. She was out of the fire. She was wet. And Ono and the lion she saw before she passed out was watching her, the former looking worried.

Ono spoke first.

"Are you OK, Kiara?" he asked, concern colored in his voice as he silently looked her over, but gave her space to breathe. He knew that she didn't like her personal bubble popped, and giving what almost happened, she appreciated it.

"I think so," she started as she raised her head from the ground. "Where am I?" she asked, still delirious about her surroundings.

The rouge answered for her. "Your safe... in the Pridelands." he spoke in a sly tone, which had Ono even more worried about this lion and his intentions.

Kiara looked confused, and then distraught. "The Pridelands...? No! Why did you bring me here! Who do you think you are!?" she spat in her savior's face, making Ono even more nervous. This lion looked strong. If Kiara mad him angry, there was a chance he would attack her.

The rouge looked at her in disbelief and then anger. "I think I'm the one that just saved your life!" Ono decided that was time to step in.

"Now, now! There's no need to squabble over this! What's done is done!" he paused, "But, while we're on the matter, Kiara, why were so far from the Pridelands?" he asked and she responded.

"Because father lied to me! He promised he would let me do this on my own, but he broke his promise and sent Timon and Pumbaa after me. I had everything under control." The lion chuckled.

"Not from where I'm standing." Kiara glared at him. "Then move downwind." and turned to leave. The rouge growled and ran after her before blocking her path. Kiara gaped in shock at his audacity, and went the other way, but he followed and blocked her again. He smirked while she scowled. Ono was now terrified. What was he going to do to her if she decided to swipe at him.

She hopped forward to get ready to leap, but he mirrored her, so she tested and leaped and he leaped as well. Finally, Kiara had enough and got ready to pounce, before the rouge mimicked and confused expression.

"What're you doing?" Kiara froze for a moment, finding his expression and quote familiar. Then she finally looked him over. Auburn fur with a creamy brown muzzle, paws and underbelly. His mane was a darker shade of brown as was his tail club. And his eyes. His eyes were a sharp emerald green and it was unmistakable as to who he was.

"Kovu?" she tested, and the lion smiled, confirming her questioned. Kiara smiled as well.

"Kiara!"

* * *

 **Kion**

When Kion spotted Kiara by the lake with Ono, he was beyond relieved when he saw that she was at still standing and looked generally OK. But when he saw the roguish looking lion, he immediately got defensive. He called out to her, and then Fuli rushed past him and growled in warning to the lion, who took a step away from his sister and got into a defensive position. The Guard came to him moments after as he approached his sister.

"Are you alright?" he asked, looking her over, before deciding that she was alright, seeing only a view visible bruises on her body.

"Kion! Did you know?" Kiara suddenly asked. Kion frowned. Asked what? Ono stepped up to him. "Simba broke his promise of letting Kiara handle this on her own and sent Timon and Pumbaa after her. That's why she was in the fire when it started." Ono informed him and he sighed disappointingly. Of course he would. He should have stayed back and made sure he didn't send his Godfathers after her.

"No. I didn't know, but that doesn't matter anymore." he said calmly, but Kiara was still upset about the whole thing. "But I was doing just fine! Even before Kovu-"

"Kovu?" Kion said in disbelief, looking over to the lion, and realized that it was in fact him. And he was getting angry at Fuli's swipes at him whenever he tried to move from his spot.

"Fuli! Stand down!" he ordered. Fuli flicked her eyes at him for a moment, before turning them back to the Outsider, obeying the order, but still very defensive. As they grew, Fuli has become like family to the Royal family, and as such, became like a sister to Kion and Kiara. And she'd be damn if she let some stranger hurt or take advantage of her.

"Ey!" what? "YOU!" they turned to see Rafiki calling out to Kovu on a hill. When did he get here? "How dare you save the king's daughter?" Rafiki asked, somehow finding this amusing, judging by his smile.

Kion turned to Kovu once more. "You saved Kiara?" Ono stepped in. "It's true Kion. He carried her on his back through the fire while I lead the way." Kion took Ono's word for it and turned to the other male once more. "Why?" Kovu did some sort of a bow with his head, before holding it high as he answered.

"I humbly ask to join your pride." Fuli pushed her face into his, snarling.

"Not a chance! You were banished with the other Outsiders." Kovu glared, but kept his head high. "I have left the Outsiders. I'm a rouge. Judge me now for who I am," he paused, "Or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit?"

Fuli growled.

"Fuli! Settle down!" Beshte got in on the conversation. "He saved Kiara's life."

"Yeah, you have to admit. It took guts to save someone, only to probably get his head bitten off by Simba afterwards.

Kion looked over to Kovu, wanting to see any depiction in his face. After the 'Kupatana Catastrophe' as animals have called it, he took extra care into who he can trust from now on when it comes to conversing with strangers.

Kovu straightened himself when he noticed him staring, seeming to be respecting their 'private' talk.

"He comes with us."

"KION!"

"Until proven guilty, he stays as a welcome guest of the Pridelands. I will speak to father about it." he turned to walk away, and Fuli looked over to Kovu in outrage. He was smirking at Kiara, who smiled back beside Beshte, before noticing her staring and gave a smug smile.

Fuli growled, and turned away.

Kovu smirked lowly. Phase one complete.


	6. Could This Work?

**REWRITE! LION KING! LION GUARD!  
**

 **THE LION KING: Simba's Pride - The New Version**

 **Chapter Six: Could This Work?**

* * *

 **Pride Rock**

"WHAT!?" Simba's roar echoed across the animal kingdom as Kion stood strong and firm in front of him. "Your actually suggesting where this Outsider should sleep, when said Outsider is just standing directly by us, when he shouldn't be in the Pridelands to begin with!?" Simba concluded. Kion held firm, while Kovu slowly leaned over to whisper to the princess, who didn't looked perplex. If anything, she looked used to it.

"Are they always fighting like this?" Kiara rolled her eyes, "Constantly. Ever since he found out he was hanging out with Hyenas in the Outlands." Kovu raised an eyebrow. Was she talking about Jasiri and her pack?

"Father, considering that Kovu saved Kiara from the fire, which she wouldn't even be in if you hadn't sent Timon and Pumbaa after her by the way, but I digress, we are technically in his dept, and if I remember Zazu saying correctly, by royal protocol, it demands that all debts be paid."

From not too far away, Zazu heard what Kion said and winch. "Blast!" he whispered harshly. Kiara giggled.

"I was trying to make sure she doesn't get hurt!" Simba tried to defend himself, but Kion looked unimpressed.

"Doesn't change the fact that your lack of trust nearly got Kiara hurt or worse."

Simba looked unhappy that Kion was talking him out for what admittedly was his fault, and turning not only the royal protocol on him, but by turning the words of his own adviser and a trusted friend against him. He looked over to Kovu, who, like before, lent away in 'respect'. Kion saw his hesitation and sighed.

"If it makes you feel any better, he will reside in the Lair until we have his full trust that he won't do anything drastic."

"WHAT?!" they heard an outraged roar from a curtain cheetah not too far away. Kovu was honestly impressed. Not many cheetahs have such a loud roar. And her reaction was mildly amusing to him, so he aloud himself to smirk.

"He'll be kept an eye on at all times and will be with the Lion Guard and participate with Guard duties." Kovu's smirk dropped. What? Looks like the plan will have to be delayed for a bit, considering that the Guard was now gonna be on his back for a while.

Simba growled and walks back and forth, contemplating the positives and negatives of this situation. There were very few positives. But he looked over to Nala, then over to Kiara, then finally to Kovu.

Kion had told him about his run-in with Zira and how Kovu seemed to most tame out of the whole family. He supposed that he should at least give him the benefit of the doubt. And besides, Kion said he'll be kept an eye on at all times, and the moment he does act out, he's out of here.

"My father's law will prevail. For now, I reserve judgement. We'll see who you really are." Kovu sighed, smirking inwardly. Phase two done: Get into the Pride. He looked over to Kiara who beamed positively and Nala was giving him an encouraging smile. Well, Kiara was on his side, and he seemed to have one over the Queen.

Zazu huffed. "Riffraff."

* * *

 **Hours Later**

After working out sleeping arrangements, and stopping Fuli from basically pouncing on the 'rouge' lion, the sun soon set and it was time for rest. Kovu ignored the many faces of suspicion when he was around, but as he followed Kion, he couldn't help but peak over to watch the lioness and few lions enter the main caves. And he witnessed the King looked over to him, making him look like an okapi caught in lights, before he sneered at him, before being dissolved by the shadows.

Kovu scowled, the reason of why he was here coming back tenfold. He lost interest in following Kion and decided to lay down and contemplate possible plan scenarios. His mission was now considerably harder, with the fact the Guard will be on his case 24/7 until he is fully trusted, who knows how long he'll be here.

Kiara had watched the exchange her father gave him, and felt a little bad. She remembered when he was a cub and how considerate and carefree he was, and how Kion mentioned that he seemed the most sound of mind and how excited he was with the idea of living in the Pridelands and seeing _her_ specifically again. But he acted so _different_ from back then. He looked as strong, brave and roguish as before, but his carefree attitude seemed to have gone with the wind.

Then she thought back to when he saved her this morning. She could have possibly died out there if it weren't for Kovu and Ono. It then came to her that she never really thanked him for his heroics.

She decided to have a chat with him.

* * *

 **The Lair**

"I still think we shouldn't trust him."

"Number 6." Kion responded, monotone. He was laying down, chin resting on his forelegs and was just trying to relax and sleep, but Fuli stood over him, paranoid and determent to get her point across.

Fuli frowned, her ear tilted in confusion. "What?"

"That's the sixth time you said that since we've gotten back home." Fuli growled.

"So?! We still shouldn't-" she paused when Kovu stood up and looked at her evenly.

"Would you rather that he slept in the cave with Kiara and Simba a lick away?" Fuli frowned, so Kion sighed. "Look, Fuli, just let it rest for now, OK? It's been a long and tired day, and I'm not in the mood for this argument. Who knows, you may come to trust him?" Fuli snorted, "The day that happens, okapis will have spots rather then stripes." but nonetheless let it go and went over to her sleeping spot.

Kion yawned, and prepared to rest his head once more, when Kovu finally emerged into the cave and looked over to him.

"Sorry I held up. I got sidetracked and couldn't remember where he cave was." he apologized. Kion smiled reassuringly and Kovu was a bit surprised that he looked so sincere. Kovu decided not to dwell on it and went over to his sleeping arrangement. He rested his eyes and slept.

* * *

 **The Next Morning**

Kovu woke up early. He had always woke up at the crack of dawn to continue training. He yawned quietly and looked around the cave. Kion was resting peacefully, Fuli looked a bit restless, Beshte was nice and calm with Ono sleeping on his body, and Bunga was pressed up against his side, snoring loudly. Kovu flinched at the gluttonous noise and stood up to get some quite from outside.

He then noticed Simba walking away from the Rock and toward the water hole. Kovu smirk evilly. This was his chance!

When they finally reached the water hole, Kovu hid behind a boulder and crouched down. Claws out, he rolled his shoulders, growling deeply. His trained eyes narrowed and ready, he prepared to pounce as Simba drank, unaware of the possible danger. But it seemed all for not when Kiara suddenly appeared in front of him, smiling playfully and completely unaware of his intention. He rose up, surprised that she was able to sneak up on him!

"Good morning!" she beamed, before dissolving into giggles and started hopping around him, "I'm ready for my first lesson. Surprised ya, huh?" Kovu turned back to the water hole, to find that Simba wasn't there anymore. He looked shocked. Where did he go?

"Hey, come on. Let's go." Kiara flicked his ear with her tail and walked off. Kovu watched her for a moment, before turning back to the water. He growled lowly, before sulking right behind her.

He should have known it wouldn't be this easy.

* * *

Kovu couldn't believe this.

A few hours after Kiara stopped his first assassination attempt, Kion caught up with them, and reminded him he wasn't supposed to go anywhere without at least one of the Guard around. Kiara came to his defense, surprisingly, saying that she dragged him from the Lair to teach her how to properly hunt. Kion excepted this and decided to stick around, commenting on how Kiara learning how to hunt might be pretty funny. Kiara had grumbled when he said that and ran off to try and jump him.

This was her third attempt.

You'd think that with a brother as leader of the Lion Guard, and the king would let the future Queen of the pride learn how to hunt for herself, but she was like a cub that had backwards paws. She kept making noises, stepping on twigs, tilting pebbles and complaining about the smallest amounts of pain. He stands by his assumption. She wouldn't last three days by herself.

He listened to the rustling of the tall grass, and her whispered remarks of minuscule pain and sighed.

"Three...Two...One..."

"GOTCHA!" the princess screamed, leaping towards his head before he ducked and she flew over him, landing on her back as he sauntered up to her. She smiled, embarrassed. "You could hear me, huh?" Kovu chuffed.

"A deaf rhino could hear you." "Shut up, Kion." Kovu smirked as Kion snickered. The Outsider walked away, allowing her to get up and turned to her.

"You're still breathing to hard. Relax." Kovu unsheathed his claws and softly scratched the dirt, "Feel the earth under your paws so it doesn't shift and make noise." Kiara copied his motions and smirked.

Kovu smirked too at her mimicking behavior, before his ears twitched and looked over to see a flock of birds landing over a hill. He smirked, his head turned towards the Pride Rock princess. He shushed quietly, "Watch the master, and learn." he then began to stalk towards the hill, stopping a second to roll his shoulders, then rushed up the hill and leaped, roaring loudly.

Timon screamed as the dark lion skidded to a stop. "Don't eat me, please! I-I-I never really met your tyrant... I mean, uh, Scar. Scar. Oh, heck of a guy. A little moody, but-" the meerkat went on, thinking up anything that could potentially save his life, before Bunga came over and helped his uncle up.

"Timon? You alright?" Kion asked, his sister by his side as they walked up towards them. Kiara was less then happy to see him after yesterday.

"What are you doing here?" the meerkat smiled at the sight of the two royals.

"Kiara! Kion! Thank goodness!" he sighed in relief, his paw on his head before he jumped right into explaining. "Hey, for once, we're not following ya. This just happens to be the best smorgasbord in the Pride Lands." he then turned around to the hill and shouted "Bugs everywhere!" but there was a large hoard of birds there and they kept digging their beaks into the dirt and grabbing grubs to eat. "But, you don't call for a reservation and...yeesh!" Bunga narrowed his eyes and strutted down. Kion looked concerned. "Bunga-"

"Hey! Get outta here! This is my uncles' feeding ground!" the bird glared and went to poke him, but Bunga bent backward and the bird's chest landed on his hind legs and he thrusted the poor bird into the air. He sat back up, victorious. Until he saw a completely different bird in the same spot the last bird was. Not that far away, Pumbaa was charging at a gathered number of birds, yelling incoherently, but the birds merely flew upwards, before landing in the same spot.

Kiara and Kion giggled and Kovu looked so confused and perplexed by the warthog's behavior, but the laughter faded when the old warthog's weary tone called over to his friend. A whole flock of the birds were resting on his backside, as though to taunt his fruitless efforts. "Oh, Timon. I'm getting tired. I gotta loose some pounds." he told him as Timon climbed on his friend's body and shooed the birds off.

Kiara laughed as the three lions skipped towards them, the prince chuckling as they went while Kovu just narrowed his brows in confusion. Pumbaa looked over to the darker lion and grinned as an idea popped into his head. "Hey, maybe he could help. Do you think?" Pumbaa asked Timon as he shooed the last bird off. Timon laughed and leaned on his cheek, "Oh, yeah, there's an idea. Right. Let the vicious Outsider-" Timon suddenly stopped and looked off into space, smiling. "Hey! Wait! I have an idea!" then he hopped off the warthog's back and gestured to Kovu. "What if he helps?" Kovu looked confused as Pumbaa nodded, before he looked at his friend. "What?"

Kion smiled and rolled his eyes, Bunga smiling cheekily. There he goes again. Denying Pumbaa's ideas and then stealing them.

"You wanna lend a voice?" Timon smiled, but when Kovu didn't do anything, he tried to motion what he wanted him to do, but gave up quickly. "Roar! Work with me!"

"Huh?" Kovu uttered, still unsure of what the meerkat wanted him to do. Kiara smirked, "Like this." and then roared. The birds scattered. Timon and Bunga cheered and encouraged them hopping onto Pumbaa's back and charged at the birds. Kovu just shrugged and roared as well. More birds started to scatter as they started to run down the hill to join the unusual family of three, Kion roaring as well.

"Why are we doing this? What is the point of this training?" Kovu asked Kion, thinking that this must be some sort of Lion Guard exercise. Kiara laughed and he turned to her. "Training? This is just for fun!" she laughed merrily as Kion let out sounds of joy as they chased the birds.

"'Fun'?" Kovu muttered. It was such a foreign to him. His form of fun was play-fighting with his sister, Vitani, or learning new skills he will need to be a strong ruler. After he first met Kiara, he secretly asked one other Outsider what the game 'Tag' was, and all she said was that a cub with such a responsibility shouldn't have to worry about something so mediocre. Never had his idea of fun been chasing a bunch of birds and tormenting them with their roars.

"Yeesh, kid. You gotta get out more often." Timon commented as he rode up beside them with Pumbaa.

"ZUKA ZAMA!" Kovu looked up to see Bunga hanging onto a bird's legs, yipping and ye-hawing, before letting go and landing on Kion's back, causing the two to tumble, making Kiara laugh even more, and even Kovu started to get into it and laughed a little, before Kion got up and raced after them, Bunga crying out in crazed joy as they rode like the wind.

"Ye-ha..." Kovu started off awkwardly, before he actually found himself enjoying this and started shouting cheers as loud as his lungs would go.

They laughed as their little race led them to a small canyon and down a dirt path before they looked up ahead and saw that the birds had friends.

Rhinos.

They skidded to a stop so soon that Timon flung over Pumbaa's head, and considering he was hanging onto Pumbaa's tusks so tightly, he was pulled back into the warthog's mouth.

"Uh-oh."

The birds blow raspberries at them and a rhino blows steam in anger.

"LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!" Bunga shouts at the top of his lungs, pulling Kion's ears as everyone screamed and turned tail immediately. They ran as fast as their legs could go and turned a corner.

The rhinos followed right behind...

And went right past them!

They had all cramped themselves into a small hole in the cliff wall, holding their breathes as the rhinos ran by. As soon as they were gone, they all bursted out laughing. Kovu looked so much lighter then before.

"What a blast!" Pumbaa 'oh'ed, "Sorry." they all laughed louder as Timon ruffled Kovu's mane. "You're OK, kid. You're OK." Kovu smiled bashfully, before the meerkat and honey badger started helping the warthog out of the hole, Kion shoving him as they pulled. When they completed their task, Kion suddenly thought of something and turned to Bunga.

"I know what two certain gorillas would say about this." Bunga smiled. Then they both said in unison.

"Kuishi Ni Kucheka."

They heard embarrassed coughs and turned to see Kiara and Kovu looking at each other, a little embarrassed and out of place. The best friends smirked. Something good was brewing here.

"Hey!" they all turned to the two insectivores, "You kids coming or what?"

They all had a small chuckle and followed. Kiara walked up ahead with Bunga beside her, and Kion and Kovu trailed behind.

"Enjoying yourself?" Kion asked him to start up conversation. Kovu looked a bit startled, but then he smiled. "Yeah, actually. This is the most fun I've had in such a long time." Kion looked sympathetic.

"I suppose life hasn't been kind to you." Kovu looked saddened. "No..." Kion watched him, before he briefly looked over at Kiara and smiled.

"There's always time for a change." Kovu looked over at him. Kion smiled at him reassuringly, and then continued walking ahead of him.

* * *

 **A Few More Hours Later**

Kion watched from afar as Kovu continued to teach Kiara how to properly hunt. She was starting to improve. She learned to turn her paw pad towards her to crawl quieter, how to keep nice and low and to ignore the small stabs the pebbles give and learned her own technique of hunting, leading them towards a boulder, and when they turn, she jumped on the rock and then leaps toward them, pinning them down. Of course, there were no actual prey involved. Pumbaa was happy to volunteer, until the hunts actually begun.

Kion smiled each time Kiara cheered at a successful attempt and hopped around the darker lion, who let out small smiles.

"She seems to really enjoy his company." he turned to see Makini making her way toward him. He was quite surprised to see the young mandrill here, as she's mostly by the tree. She was still as spirited and energetic, but she was a lot calmer and she was much more trained into the things she does. She mostly takes care of mother's with a offspring due, or physical wounds. She's currently studying medicinal and spiritual healing, and she's improving quickly.

"She is. For the first time in probably forever, she doesn't feel so sheltered. She actually feels free to make her own moves." Kion watched as Kiara hopped around in victory while Kovu sat in the middle of her hopping circle, smiling softly.

"And he seems to be enjoying himself as well. I noticed when he first came here, that he was very closed off and unsociable. But after that little rhino run, I think he is now much more comfortable." Makini smiled, leaning on her Bakora staff gently.

"Indeed. He does seem a lot brighter since the last time I actually seen him, which was very brief." Makini told him. She remembered how when Kovu first appeared, Rafiki said that this might mean the end of the constant gap in the Circle of Life.

 _"I hope you're right,_ _Rafiki."_ she thought to herself.

"Kovu!" she was pulled from her internalizing when Kion called out to the rouge lion, making the two look up toward him. "It's getting late. Time for sleep." Kovu looked a little sad, but hide it and nodded. He then turned to Kiara, who looked a little disheartened that the fun was over.

"Kiara. I'd like to thank you for providing me with fun. I haven't felt that in a while." Kiara brightened up, and Kovu swore his cheeks grew warm.

"And thank you for teaching me how to hunt. Think I can last three days on my own now?" Kovu pretended to look thoughtful before smirking.

"One. Two being the extension." Kiara looked playful.

"Oh? Is that so?" Kovu smirked.

"JUST KISS ALREADY!" they jumped at Makini's shout, and blushed, as the mandrill covered her mouth from her outburst, then burst into laughter along with Kion at the looks on their faces.

Kion chuckled one last time before walking between the two. "Come on, lover boy. Tomorrow we got some patrolling to do with the Guard. You'll need to have your wits about you. The Pridelands isn't as cheerful as we wanted it to be." Kion uttered to himself that last part, but the two lions heard.

"Good night, princess." Kovu said respectively before following said princess's brother.

When they reached the Lair and went to sleep, Kovu pondered on all these feelings that were blooming within him. What was going on? He hadn't felt these feelings every since he was a cub.

So what could possibly be going on? Kovu decided not to ponder on it and wait for tomorrow.

* * *

 **For this story, I didn't want to rush Kovu and Kiara's relationship. Love doesn't happen over night, Disney movie or not. Beside, need to have a chapter showing him interacting with Kion and the rest of the Guard and I feel like he needs more character development.**

 **I mean, think about it. He chases a few birds, gets chased by rhinos, stargazes, then falls in love with the princess. Not that much development in my opinion.**

 **See you later!**


	7. A Hero is Born

**REWRITE! LION KING! LION GUARD!  
**

 **THE LION KING: Simba's Pride - The New Version**

 **Chapter Seven: A Hero is Born**

* * *

 **The Lair of the Guard**

Kovu was dreaming.

Normally, Kovu would have nightmares, involving Simba being a cruel and malicious ruler, with him being an even worse ruler then Scar due to lack of training and just being generally evil. But last night, he dreamed peacefully. Surprisingly, Kiara was in his dream. He didn't know why, but he enjoyed it.

Then he felt dirt get sprayed on his face. He sputtered and poked his tongue out to try and get the taste out, then looked up to see Fuli, in all her glaring glory.

"Come on, rouge. He have patrolling to do." and walked off, not a smile directed his way.

Kovu sighed. He didn't expect Fuli or anyone trusting him immediately when he started this mission. He will just have to be patient and roll with the scratches.

Beshte noticed the way Fuli treated him and walked over to him slowly, as not to startle him. "I understand it'll take some getting used to. But don't worry. A simple patrol will be easy." Kovu smiled and nodded, before walking beside the hippo out into the sunlight.

As soon as Kovu exited the cave, he let out a massive yawn and stretched.

"Good morning, Kovu." the Outsider looked up to see Kion, standing not that far away, smiling in a warm manner. Bunga and Ono were by his side, up and adam and ready to go. Fuli wasn't too far away from them, looking out into the plains, for sneering at his direction. "Did you sleep well?" Kovu ignored the cheetah's attitude towards him and smiled the best he could.

"Best sleep in years." the Prince of Pride Rock smiled. "Good. We'll just stretch out a bit, and then we'll be off." Kovu nodded and wandered a bit, letting the Guard do their own thing.

Kovu wasn't really paying attention, so it was no surprise that he nearly ran into...

The King of Pride Rock himself. (you so thought it was gunna be Kiara, didn't you XP)

The two lions stared at each other for a prolonged period of time, before Simba huffed and went off to get a drink. Kovu gulped. He didn't think the king could look so terrifying with so much as a stare.

"Hey Kovu." the dark furred lion turned his head to Kiara and smiled, feeling much calmer then he did a few seconds ago. He then noticed two more lionesses walking by her side.

"Hello princess." Kiara snorted.

"Enough with the princess junk. Kiara's fine." One of the lionesses circled him like a vulture, eyeing him like he was a piece of meat. "So this is the daring, young male that saved our Kiara?" she paused for a second, "I'd thought you'd be bigger."

"Zuri!" the other lioness whispered in disbelief at her rashness.

"I'm sorry, Kovu. These are my best friends, Tiifu and Zuri." Tiifu smiled in greeting, while Zuri continued to eye him in a somewhat complicating manner.

"A pleasure to meet you both." Kovu managed to say before Zuri ran off not long after, eager to see Kion before he went off for patrol. Tiifu shook her head with a smile, but greeted him with just as much warmth as she always does.

"Likewise. Now, as much as I love to get to know the 'dashing hero' I gotta make sure Zuri doesn't eat your brother alive before patrol." she started with Kovu, before finishing with Kiara and trotting off towards the flirting lioness and the desperate-to-run lion.

The two were silent for a moment, before Kovu started up conversation. "So, where are you going?" Kiara smiled a bit.

"I'm about to put everything you taught me to the test. I'm going off to hunt again, but father said that I'm not aloud to hunt alone. Not ever. He can get really annoying sometimes." she rolled her eyes, as Kovu's thoughts wandered into uncharted territory.

If he did take out Simba that day, how Kiara feel about it? Would she actually consider being with him after he killed her father?

Wait... why was he thinking-

"Kovu!" he jumped a bit when Kion called out his name and whirled his head around to him. "It's time to go, let's move!"

"Coming!" Kovu shouted out to him, before quickly turning to the princess, "Have a safe hunt, princess. And please, try to avoid any trouble." he smirked before leaping off. Kiara looked after him mockingly.

"Oh, ha ha! Very funny!"

Kovu chuckled, before stopping beside Kion. "That was a short stretch exercise. Are we in a hurry?" Beshte asked, looking a little concerned. Kovu looked up at him, curious. Their stretch exercise had a time limit.

"That... and mostly cause I need to get away from Zuri." the whole Guard laughed as they walked to patrol the Pride Lands.

Kovu cracked a smile too.

* * *

The patrol was a little quiet, beside a few stories that the Guard decided to share to pass the time. Bunga apparently found a fellow Honey Badger. Female. That made the whole story even more interesting. Her name was Subira, and she seemed to find his company entertaining and enjoyable. And the same goes for him. Beshte announced that he and Lulu were discussing being mates, and planned to mate in three weeks. Ono was planning to travel, which he was most excited about. And Fuli was seeing a special someone, which surprised the Guard immensely.

Then Bunga asked the golden question.

"What about you, Kovu?" the lion jumped out of his daze and turned to the Honey Badger.

"What?"

"What was life in the Outlands like for you?" Kovu stiffed as he noticed that the whole Guard was watching him with curious stares. Kovu was flabbergast that the whole Guard, even Fuli was interested in his past life.

The lion sighed. "Not much to say. Dusty plains, very little water, stealing kills from vultures, practicing hunting skills on flies, termites and each other. And as my brother says, 'every lion for himself out there'." the Outlander sighed at the thought of his family. Sure, he and Nuka never really got along that well, but Nuka still cared for him to some extent and Kovu loved his brother deeply, even if they don't share the same blood. Same thing goes with Vitani. He loved his big sister with all his heart, and they would always talk if something bothered him or her.

Everyone was silent as Kovu's dampened mood seemed to effect everyone. Bunga then spotted something up ahead and he grew a smile and ran off.

"Bunga?" Kion called out, before Bunga reemerged from a rock he jumped over. And in his paw was a ball of mud. Bunga's eyes grew playful as they focused on the Keenest of Sight. Ono's eyes widened as he realized with horror on what the badger planned to do. "Bunga, don't you-" a mudball to the face knocked him off Beshte's back and onto the floor by Kovu's feet.

Everything was silent for a good amount of time. Before Ono hopped up and shook the mud off his beak. His eyes narrowed playfully.

"Game on."

All the sudden, Kovu was hiding behind a boulder as the whole Guard got into a huge mud fight. He wasn't sure how to respond to all of this. Then they stopped, as though realizing something, and looked over to Kovu. He wore a concerned look. He started to back away slowly...

They followed him.

"Don't you-"

Bunga threw the first one, soon followed by many others. By the time they were finished, Kovu's mane was sticky from liquefied dirt and decorative splotches covered the front of his body entirely. His eyes were closed from the onslaught to prevent any getting into his eyes. He opened them, scanning them calmly. For a second there, everyone was worried they went to far.

Then he smirked.

"Bring it."

And leaped towards the honey badger, causing the whole thing to turn into a playfight.

* * *

 **A Few Hours Later**

By the end of it all, the whole Guard, Kovu included, decided to wash off the remaining mud off their respective skins. Kovu was just exiting the water hole and shaking water out of his mane, when he noticed a large number of birds all flying to same direction. Kovu frowned. There were so many birds of many different species and breed.

"Ono?" he called over to the Egret, who was just getting out of the water and shaking the water out of his feathers before turning to him. "Yes?" "Is there an all bird migration going on?" Ono looked up as well, and looked confused to see so many birds flying away. His eyes brightened and he saw that all of them looked frantic and terrified.

"What in the Circle...?" he took off towards the flock, the Guard taking notice of this behavior and waited.

Ono reached the flock and hovered in level with them all, and tried to communicate with any of them, but they were too panicked to notice the Lion Guard member. Then he saw a familiar face.

"ONA!" the young hamerkop whirled around at her name and turned to her childhood savior and babysitter.

"Uncle Ono!" she flew over to him, careful to avoid any rushing birds.

"Ona, what is going on? What is happening? Why are all these birds so spooked?" Ona looked scared as she answered. "It's the Wananchi! They're back!" Ono gasped in shock, before Ona continued. "From what I heard, some toucans spotted them not to far from Pembe's herd!" Ono frowned "Pembe the rhino leader?" Ona nodded and the Keenest of Sight looked over to the rhino herds usual feeding grounds, and saw that they already begun stampeding away from the Wananchi's metal beasts.

"Hapana!"

"Ono! What's happening!?" Kion called out to him from below. Ono turned to the hamerkop. "Get as far away as possible." the younger bird nodded and took off to follow her mother. Ono dived down and gave the Guard a very brief rundown of the situation. "The Wananchi! They're attacking and their after the rhinos!"

The Guard shared looks of surprise. Kovu looked confused. "'Wananchi'? What is the Wananchi?" Fuli growled. Not in anger towards him though, which is a first.

"Man. Horrid man. They capture animals and then leave their pelts in their homes like decoration. Or just take them away in large cages to never be seen again." Kovu looked scared. He had heard a few talks of men from the gossiping lionesses of the Outlands. How they had removable fur that come in all colors. They stood on two legs and wear strange hooves to protect their feet. How whatever natural fur they have is either luxurious and long, or short and spiky. Sometimes none at all. And from what he heard, they were the most dangerous mammal to walk the Circle of Life.(Which is the truth)

"Man?" he asked shakily. Kion's next words rang clear.

"We gotta deter the Wananchi away from the rhinos. To the Pridelands end..."

"LION GUARD DEFEND!" the Guard chorused after him as they all rushed towards the danger.

Kovu followed soon after. Being perfectly honest. This was the most nervous he has ever been in his life.

* * *

They stopped not too far from the stampede and watched as the Wananchi stopped on some high ground with their metal beasts and pulled out these strange looking sticks that were all identical. But Kovu was more focused on the Man. They were not what he expected. He expected these horrid looking monsters that wore the pelts of animals to look pretty. But these creatures looked scrawny, sickly even. How could they possibly keep warm on cold nights with so little fur?

"Those are Man? They don't look so intimidating." he told them, his eyes moving over to them before looking back at the creatures, who were currently placing something inside the stick.

"It's not their appearance that's terrifying..." Fuli started as the Man raised the stick to eye level, aiming for a old rhino that was falling behind the stampede, and pulled the 'curved twig'.

 _ **BANG!**_

Thunder sounded as Kovu witnessed a small burst of fire escape from the stick, leaving smoke trailing out of it as the old rhino stumbled in pain, before landing with a thud. Cruelty left him behind in the dust.

"It's their artillery. Their fire-sticks are said to end a animal's life in a split second. They sound of thunder and shoot fire, leaving an animal in immense pain." Fuli finished. If Kovu wasn't nervous before, he was nervous now. He watched as the Man highfived his friend before getting back inside the metal beast and rode off towards the downed rhino.

"We gotta stop them from hurting that rhino any further." Kion told them, before turning to all of them and started giving them the lay out of the plan. "Fuli, you and Ono follow the herd and make sure no-one else gets hurt. Go." the two nodded and took off, making sure not to be seen by the Wananchi. "Beshte, you and Bunga help the rhino, and get him to Rafiki and Makini." Kovu dreaded what Kion might say next, but asked him anyway.

"And what will we be doing?" Kion turned to him with a grim expression. Kovu's worry increased.

"We'll be distracting the Wananchi as Beshte and Bunga get the rhino as far from here as possible." as did his fear.

"Everyone ready?" they all nodded, but Kovu desperately wanted to shake his head 'no'.

"Let's go."

Let's not.

Please?

* * *

 **The 'Wananchi'**

"Whew! This one should be easy!" the man that made the shot whooped in delight. His friend laughed as they got into the car and started driving towards the downed rhino. When they finally reached it, they highfived. The old rhino panted heavily, struggling to get to his feet, to catch up with his herd, but pain held him down.

"Aw! Look at this beauty! I bet it'll fetch a hefty price at the black market."

"That's a given'!" they laugh as the rhino heaved, his eyes closing, awaiting his due to the Circle of Life.

Only it wouldn't come today.

 ** _ROAR!_**

Kion sprung out of nowhere and into action, grabbing the gun in his jaws and wrestled it out of the mans grip. His friend gasped in shock and raised his rifle to hit the lion's heart.

But Kovu didn't give him that chance and swatted the gun away, before approaching the Wananchi, growling lowly, an air of dominance surrounding him as he tried to make himself look larger, a common act for males.

"L-let's get outta here!" they ran towards the metal beast and got in, closing the windows just as Kovu banged against the door, claws actually piercing the glass. The dark lion tugged until his claws were free. Kion and Kovu ganged up on the car, while Bunga and Beshte moved into action and managed to get the wounded rhino onto the hippo's back and started the trek towards Rafiki and Makini.

"What the hell?! Is the whole animal kingdom against us!? They just took away our rhino!" Kion roared at the man's words.

"That rhino belonged to no-one but himself, you cowards!" he said, though they didn't understand him. All they could hear was growls. Then Kion jumped onto the hood of the truck and reared up, slamming his paws into the windshield, cracking it.

The men screamed as Kion roared. His eyes were slits as he stared into their fearful eyes.

Kovu stood by the side of the truck, unsure of what comes next. "What do we do now?"

"Usually, word gets out to these creatures people and they send a guard of their own to take them home and punish them, I suppose." Kion told him, before jumping onto the ceiling, sitting down and keeping an eye out.

"Until they come, we must make sure that these two don't do anymore harm." Kovu raised an eyebrow.

"So we wait?" this didn't sit right with this outsider for a bit.

"We can't allow these guys to run amok, but what happens to them will depend on _their_ king. Not every fight is our own."

That one made Kovu think.

 _Not every fight is our own._

* * *

 **Fuli and Ono**

"I got the Wananchi out of the way, they're long gone, but the herd is in too much of a panic to pay attention!" Fuli called up to Ono. "Ono, go see what's up ahead so I'm ready to lure them away!" the Egret nodded and flew up higher to get a better look, sharpening his eyesight.

And what he saw shook him with fear.

It was the Gorge. The very same Gorge king Mufasa had perished.

And to make matter worse, the Wananchi were already there by the ledges, and they were setting up those 'sinkhole makers' up in the areas with the most loose rocks. And then, there was a 'lighting wall'.

"HAPANA!"

"Ono! What is it!?"

"It's an ambush! LURE THEM AWAY!" the urgency in Ono's voice terrified Fuli and she immediately sped up, trying to catch up to the leader of the herd, Pembe.

"Pembe!" she called out over all the noise, but he couldn't hear her. "Pembe! You must turn back. The Wananchi are planning an ambush! Get away from the Gorge!" she told him, but no-one could here her. In fact, Pembe said to the others the very thing that could seal their fates forever.

"TO THE GORGE!"

"NO!" Fuli cried out in horror as the front of the line started sliding down the steep hill and entered the Gorge. Fuli came to a halt at the edge, watching as the rhinos straightened themselves out and stampeded closer to their doom.

"Ono! Get to Kion, tell him what's happening! I'm gonna try and stop as many Wananchi as I can!" and she rush off onto the ledges to take out the first ambush setter. Ono wasted no time and rush off.

* * *

 **Kion and Kovu**

The Wananchi were unsure of how to process this whole thing. For some stupid reason, the lions only stuck around until the Rangers showed up to arrest them. As soon as they started to drive up to them, the red maned lion stood up from the hood of the car and growled at the darker one, who had been napping. Then they just got up and rushed off, running past the Rangers, not even touching them.

From not to far away, the two lions watched as the Man Guard drove off with the Wananchi in their custody.

"That those two taken care of." Kovu nodded, turning to him. "Now what?"

"We catch up with the herd, insure that everyone is OK." Kovu nodded and they took off in the direction the herd went. Pretty soon, they say Ono fly towards them and soon fly beside them. He looked worried. "Ono, what's wrong?" "The Wananchi have planned an ambush! They have sinkhole makers lined up the ledges of the Gorge and are planning to startle them into another stampede into a lighting wall!"

Kion looked shocked and went faster. Kovu looked concerned, but pushed himself to catch up with the Lion Prince.

Pretty soon, they were at the cliff to the Gorge, and they saw Fuli had already taken down three ambush Wananchis and was currently fighting a very big, very muscled one, clawing, biting and hissing in his face. But the man was getting the upper hand, to the point where he had the Cheetah by the throat.

"KOVU, HELP FULI!" Kovu turned to face the Leader of the Lion Guard, but he was already on the opposite wall of the Gorge, leaping to take down a Wananchi. Kovu looked between Fuli and the Lion, before getting his head in the game and rushed off. He leaped over every stone, rock and gap, not caring for the many pebbles getting into his paws, cutting his pads. He saw Fuli up ahead, slowly loosing strength as the man held her throat tighter.

He was almost there.

Her failing limbs weakened.

Al...

Her lashing tail was slowly sinking lower.

most...

Her breathing turned shallow.

there...

Her head fell to the side, unconscious.

 _ **ROAR!**_

The Man looked up from the K.O'ed cheetah, his smirk leaving his face as the last thing he saw was the Heir of Scar.

Fuli groaned lowly as her body hit the floor. She opened her blurry eyes to see Kovu standing on top of the severely weakened man. Fuli stared at his back in wonder. Did he... save her? The dark lion turned to her, a bit of blood around his muzzle. "You okay?" Fuli nodded, speechless. As the two seemed to come to a silent understanding, they didn't notice the Wananchi, with the last of his rapidly fading strength, had pushed a small red button.

 ** _BOOM!_**

The explosives went off, startling the calming rhinos back into their panicked frenzy. They made for the entrance of the Gorge, but another explosion went off, encouraging them to go the other way, closer to the electric fence. The two cats looked in shock, before turning to the other and nodded, taking off towards the front of the herd.

Beshte and Bunga were just arriving to the scene to see the herd on the path the the lighting wall. All they had to do was turn a corner, and in their blind panic, wouldn't see the sparking fence. They noticed two Wananchi with their weapons cocked and ready. They exchanged looks and smirked.

The two men trained their aim on two different rhinos, a mother and her young adult son. They placed their finger on the trigger...

 ** _"Twende kiboko!"_**

They looked up to the roar of a hippo, right before Beshte head bashed him off the ledge and onto a tree, groaning. His friend raised his weapon at the Strongest, before the Bravest leaped onto his face and bit his nose. The man screamed, before he lost his footing and fell onto the same tree, Bunga leeping off him before he could drag him with them.

"WHOO!" Bunga exclaimed, his adrenaline rush spurring him on.

"Don't stop yet! We still gotta stop those rhinos from hitting that lighting wall!" Ono told them, flying ahead, but as they turned, they saw that it was almost too late. By the time they would get there, many lives would be lost.

But someone would get there in time.

Kovu and Fuli had just reached the fence, and saw that the rhinos were getting closer and closer to their doom. Fuli didn't know what to do.

But Kovu did. He started to back up, scrunching up his shoulders as Fuli looked back, curious. "What are you doing?"

Then he rushed up to the edge and took a leap of faith.

Everything seemed to be going in slow motion as Kovu prepared himself to land as he past every ledge and landed roughly. He growled in pain, but pushed himself up. He took a deep breathe, opened his maw...

And roared.

It was so sudden, so loud, that it scared the rhinos into stopping and they finally realised what almost happened if they had continued running. But one rhino, wasn't thankful.

"You!" Kovu looked over at Pembe and realised with fear that it was the same rhino that led the charge against him and the others yesterday. "What on the Circle's Good Graces are you doing?! Landslides are happening and your blocking the way out!"

"I'm blocking the way to your death! If you had gone any farther, you and the most of your herd would have ran into this Lighting Wall, while the Wananchi kill the rest of you with their Fire-Sticks!" Pembe frowned. What was the Outsider saying?

"He's telling the truth." Pembe turned to Beshte, who walked down the steep cliff as carefully as the hippo could. "The Wananchi planned the whole ambush. Their plan was to startle you further into the Gorge and run into the Lighting Wall."

Pembe looked at Kovu carefully, before looking behind him to the fence, then behind him to view his herd. If this lion hadn't have stopped them... he turned back to Kovu and knelt down respectfully, surprising everyone present. Pembe was very proud, only listening to his rhinos within good reason and Simba. So to see him bowing before a lion, much less, an Outsider and the heir of Scar, this was a bit of a shock.

"Thank you."

Kovu was wide eyed but bowed his head in return.

It seems that a hero is born.

* * *

 **A Few Hours**

The Guard led the herd out of the Gorge and sent it on their way back to it's grazing grounds. Kion walked to the front of the group and smiled. "Well done, team. We did it again." everyone puffed out there chest proudly. Kovu felt rather accomplished as well.

"The rest of you can go home if you wish. I'm going to patrol the area to ensure that the Wananchi are truly gone." Kion told them. Ono stood higher from Beshte's back. "I'll patrol with you." and they took off.

"Well, I think I earned myself a well earn meal." Bunga told them, a carefree smile on his face as he marched off, arms swinging jolly-like as he made for Hakuna Matata Falls.

"A nice long mud bath sounds good right about now." Beshte mused and walked off. He turned to the dark lion. "You coming, Kovu?"

"I'll... catch up. Just getting my second wind." Beshte nodded, understanding. Then he turned to Fuli.

"I'm sticking with Kovu." both parties looked surprised by that, but neither questioned it as the hippo went his way. Fuli walked to his front and sat down to face him. The lion looked at the cheetah, confused.

"And you are sticking around because...?"

"The terms of your stay was to stay under a Guard's supervision." "Oh." Kovu muttered, a bit upset that Fuli still didn't trust him. But then Fuli shuffled her paw, looking embarrassed as she continued.

"And I also want to thank you for saving me from that Wananchi back there." Kovu smiled as she smiled too, though softly. Fuli then noticed the way Kovu was holding his paw and remembered his rough landing when he jumped in between the herd and the lighting wall.

"Your paw..." Kovu gave a nervous chuckle. "It's just a sprain. I'm fine." Fuli frowned, "Well, too bad, tough guy. We're going to Rafiki's to get you patched up."

Kovu looked surprised, but looked a lot lighter then he was a second ago.

* * *

 **Rafiki's Tree**

"Now, Rafiki is off somewhere, don't know where, so let's take a look at that paw." Makini said in a soothing manner as she gestured for Kovu to hold out his paw. He did as instructed and she looked the appendage over with expert eyes.

"Yep. You defiantly broke it when you jumped in front of that herd from such a high distance." she said, before going off to grab a stick and some vine wrapping.

"Really. It doesn't feel that bad. It's just a spra-OW!" Kovu roared as Makini literally wasted no time and straightened his paw out and starting making him a splint. Fuli smirked a tiny bit at his pain.

"And... done!" Makini shouted in joy at the splint she made him. "Now, try to walk from here to that leaf over there." Kovu took a deep breath and slowly stood up and started limping towards the leaf. Success.

Makini smiled and went off somewhere. Kovu looked at his paw, studying the wrapping. Looks like he'll have to take it easy for a little bit, but with the splint, he should be able to get out of trouble if need be.

"Kovu?!" he turned around to see Fuli leading Kiara in, the lioness looking pretty worried. Fuli must of told her what happened.

"I heard what happened out there. Are you hurt?" the princess looked him over, and he smiled, touched that she was so worried about him.

"I'm fine, princess. It's just a sprain." Kiara smiled and sighed in relief. Makini reappeared with some sort of fruit in her hand.

"It's more then a sprain, but just take it easy for a while and it should be alright in two days. Consider yourself lucky, big guy. If Pembe hadn't of stopped, not only could you have been trampled, but electrocuted."

With that unsettling image in his mind, he nodded his thanks to the mandrill and started to limp out of the tree with Kiara and Fuli at his sides to help him out should he need it. Makini watched them go, leaning on her bakora staff casually, before feeling the wind brush her fur as they leave.

"Maybe you're right, Mufasa. Maybe Kovu and Kiara are the answer to the gap in the Circle." she spoke softly with a smile before walking deeper into the tree to do whatever she wished.

* * *

 **Pride Rock**

Simba watched from the edge of Pride Rock's cliff as Kovu once again entered the kingdom, Fuli and his own daughter by his side as the Outsider limped into his territory. He turned to look behind him to see Pembe having a talk with Nala. After Pembe told them about the ambush and how Kovu was the one to save the entire herd in the end by the Wanachi. Though Simba was secretly thankful for Kovu's efforts, he was still suspicious of the young lion.

"Look guys!" Simba was distracted from his thoughts when a small cheetah below called to his friends, "It's the lion that saved the rhinos!" the cheetah children, which Simba recognized as Fuli's nephews, cheered at the sight of the lion that saved the herd and rushed over to greet him. Kovu looked so out of his element and for a second, Simba felt sympathetic for him. He had a very similar encounter with a group of young zebras after he defeated Scar. So he can relate.

The cheetahs crowed around the Outsiders, as he lifted his injured paw out of their grasp, and didn't move, not wanting to accidentally step on any of them. He turned to the two females, who now stood at the sidelines and watched. Seeing Kovu, a big, 'bad', Outsider, being crowed by Fuli's nephews was probably the most adorable sight that they had ever seen. It was like one of those gentle giant moments, like with Beshte and all those baby birds that would sit themselves on his back.

And after a few seconds, after Fuli felt like he suffered enough, called out to the cubs. "Alrighty, kids. Go back to your mother, she's probably wondering where you are." the cheetahs aww'ed in disappointment, goading at their aunt to let them play with the brown lion a little while longer, before they realized that it was pointless and went off, saying cheerful goodbyes directed mostly at Kovu before they disappeared from sight. Fuli chuckled, before turning to the two lions.

"Wow, the oh mighty lion of the Outlands was put out of place by three cheetah cubs." she said in a teasing manner. Kovu's eyes flickered to her, his face still facing where the cubs ran off.

"Yeah, their unbelievable." he said, before turning his head to the two of them, "I mean, I'm a lion, and an Outsider. I can't believe they don't hate me." Fuli actually looked sympathetic. A lot of people must have giving him a sneer during his time here. He may be used to it, but those were all adults, it expected. So to probably have a child literally throw them-self in front of you in a form of play.

"Well, I guess they haven't learned how to yet." she said in a comforting tone, before bowing her head to Kiara and walking off to where her cubs went. Kiara noticed the lion's glum look and nudged him playfully.

"Don't worry. You'll fit right in. Eventually." Kovu gave a hollow chuckle, before limping off to some shade, Kiara following him.

Simba looked on worried. But there was nothing he can do on the matter.

But wait.

* * *

 **Bunga's lady friend's name means 'patient', Lulu means 'pearl' and** **Wananchi means 'Skinners'. They're basically poachers. The 'sinkhole makers' are explosives, and 'lighting wall' is an electric fence. Need I say more?**


End file.
